Three takeaways from the Mariners’ extra-innings win over Oakland

"They say solo homers never beat ya, but they almost did," said Mariners manager Scott Servais after Seattle survived 5 solo homers by the Oakland A's to rally for a 5-4 win in the 10th inning at T-Mobile Park Monday night..
By

Up Next

"They say solo homers never beat ya, but they almost did," said Mariners manager Scott Servais after Seattle survived 5 solo homers by the Oakland A's to rally for a 5-4 win in the 10th inning at T-Mobile Park Monday night..
By

Unlimited Digital Access: Only $0.99 For Your First Month

After tying the game in both the eighth and 10th innings, catcher Omar Narvaez delivered the game-winning RBI single with two outs in the final frame. He looped a soft single into left, scoring Domingo Santana from second.

“It feels pretty good to bounce back,” said Narvaez, who has a four-game hitting streak. “I know we haven’t been (very) good lately, but I think today was the beginning.”

Daniel Vogelbach, who hit a three-run tying homer earlier in the eighth, drew a two-out walk in the 10th. Then, Dee Gordon, who was pinch running for Vogelbach, stole second.

Santana fell behind 0-2 before working his way back and ultimately hitting an RBI double that stayed just fair down the left-field line, scoring Gordon and tying the game at 5-5.

“There’s two outs, nobody on in the last inning, and Vogey doesn’t try to do too much,” Servais said. “That 3-1 borderline pitch up, he doesn’t go after it and try to be a hero again, he just takes his walk. It says a lot about him and kind of his mindset when he takes an at-bat.

“Then we got some big hits late there from Domingo and certainly Omar at the end. Really nice win. We needed that one. Obviously tough road trip, trying to put that behind us, get some momentum going, guys feeling better about themselves and where we’re headed here. It’s nice to hear the music (in the clubhouse) at the end of the game again.”

Oakland drops to 2-4 in extra-innings games.

2. KIKUCHI IS QUALITY

Mariners rookie left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-1, 3.64) delivered his sixth quality start in 10 outings this season, but was again given little offensive cushion, and left without a decision.

He worked into the seventh inning, striking out five and walking two on 93 pitches. He allowed three runs — a trio of solo homers by Mark Canha, Khris Davis and Matt Olson — on five hits in his six-plus innings of work.

Between the third and fourth innings, when the game was tied at 1-1, Kikuchi struck out four batters in a row, and at one point retired 10 consecutive A’s.

“Compared to my last two starts, I didn’t have the best stuff,” Kikuchi said through interpreter Justin Novak. “The last two starts I felt like I had a good fastball, and this time not everything worked for me. But, with that, I think I was able to grind through the start pitching six innings and holding them to three runs.”

Each of Kikuchi’s past three starts have been quality, and he has yet to allow more than four earned runs in any outing this season.

3. DOUBLE-DIGIT DINGERS

Four Mariners hitters now have double-digit home runs this season.

Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion continue to lead the club with 12 each — which is also ranked third in the American League — but Vogelbach and Mitch Haniger broke into double figures Monday night.

Vogelbach’s three-run blast in the eighth was his 10th homer of the season. He jumped on a first-pitch fastball from Lou Trivino, and sent it 426 feet to straightaway center field.

“I felt like I got that one,” Vogelbach said. “The ball doesn’t go sometimes to center, but I felt like I got that one pretty good.”

Haniger crushed his second leadoff home run of the season — and third of his career — to open the first inning, and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Haniger’s solo shot, which traveled 406 feet and landed in the left field bleachers, was his 10th of the season.

Lauren Smith covers the Seattle Mariners for The News Tribune. She previously covered high school sports at TNT and The Olympian, beginning in 2015. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and Emerald Ridge High School.